Drunken Dance
by Rowan Dyer
Summary: Ashley can't seem to build up the nerve to tell Chris she's crushing on him. When, at a party, she sees him with another girl, she finds herself dancing an unlikely suspect.


She knew she was out of place here.

Ashley had been dragged to the party by Sam and Hannah, the two of them complaining that she never had any fun. It had taken the two of them nearly emptying her dresser looking for something cute for her to wear ( "Chris is going to drop dead when he sees you in this!") and the puppy-dog look they'd both perfected for Ashley to agree.

Since it was Hannah's older brother Josh's party, he had forbid any of them - including his sisters - from entering the house until the party was ready. The three girls had waited an hour pasts the start of the party to finally make their way over to the house. It was already underway by the time they arrived.

After nearly dragging Ashley through the door, Ashley found her place on a wall and stood there awkwardly with her hands folded over her chest. This was not her place. She enjoyed small get-togethers with friends; not a large crowed of people she didn't know. If Sam hadn't been the one who'd driven, Ashley would have left ten minute in.

About a half hour passed, the young red head still in the same place. She was lucky. She only had to chance off one drunken creepy. ( "If you want to be alone, I know a place upstairs where we can be alone together.").

It was only when Josh walked by, and told her to get off the wall and go look for Chris, did Ashley move. She didn't want to go shuffling through the crowed for people, but Chris was her partner-in-crime - he might be able to save her from this torture. If she was going to suffer through this night, at least Chris would help lessen the pain.

It was the laugh she'd know anywhere that lead her to him. Such a dorky laugh for such a dorky guy. Before she even reached him, the snarky remark she had about the party was already on the edge of her lips.

But it would never reach the the air.

Chris was on the couch - but he wasn't alone. Sitting on top of his lap was a beautiful upperclassmen. Her body fit perfectly into a mini dress, showing off her legs that were a mile long. Her dark, rich hair thrown up into a 'messy' bun that hung the right hairs in the right places. Neither of them noticed Ashley as she slowly back away.

The wave of emotions that coursed through Ashley was intense.

How long had she been crushing on him? Going back and forth on whether or not he liked her back. Some days almost getting up the courage to tell him while other days passed she was certain he didn't like her in the slightest.

This was her answer.

At first she just wanted to puke. The knot in her stomach tighter than ever. The knot soon turned into a dagger that repeatedly stabbed at her stomach. She had no right to feel this way - but their was a weird feeling of betrayal.

Chris wasn't her boyfriend.

He wasn't HER anything.

Soon she found herself pressed against the wall again. Wanting to go home now more than ever before.

"Drink this." Suddenly, Mike Munroe was beside her, offering her a red solo cup of something that looked pink. Ashley took the cup and brought it up to her nose. Almost instantly she recoiled, pulling the cup away and scrunching her face.

"What the hell is it?" Seeing as that was a dumb question at a party she quickly added. "I don't want to drink."

Mike moved so his arm was leaning against the wall and his body faced her. "I saw what happened back there." Ashley said nothing, "I still can't believe you two aren't together. You'd think one of you would see those sickening long looks you give each other."

At this Ashley rolled her eyes, looking away, angrily bringing the cup to her lips. Despite the taste, she gulped down nearly half the cup.. "Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh - trust me, honey. I do." He snorted, "Whatever, Ash. If you want to be miserable the rest of your life, go ahead and keep watching as others go for what you want."

Finishing off the rest of the drink, ignoring the burn, she turned back to him. "Doesn't matter." She spat. "I can't compete with that."

Ashley didn't walk with confidence or know how to cake her face with makeup and make it look natural. Her body wasn't of a supermodel and she had no flirting skills.

"Want another?" Mike asked as he took the cup and didn't wait for her answer as he turned away. He was back in less than a minute, handing the cup back. She could already feel the effects of the first cup. Before this, all she'd ever drank was a wine cooler about 6 months ago at her aunt's wedding. She'd had beer before but never a whole can because she found it disgusting.

Whatever this concoction was had the bitterness of alcohol and the tang of orange.

"You could compete though." Mike muttered, returning to his position on the wall. Ashley turned, mimicking his stance and looking up at him. "You've got all the right stuff; you just have to know how to utilize it."

Green eyes narrowed. Ashley didn't really want to be like that. It seemed like too much effort and if a boy wanted her because she knew how to show off her boobs, then was he really worth it?

Mike took a drink of his own drink, glancing over her head, She saw his jaw tighten. In a slow movement, she turned her head (ignoring the slight spin of the world). Standing in the kitchen were Em and Matt; Emily was leaning into Matt, her hand lightly pressed against his arm and the two of them laughed. Mike and Emily had broken up less than a week ago ( a messy thing no one wanted to be apart of. ).

Ashley turned back with a roll of her eyes. "I thought you were the one that broke up with her?" She asked glad to change the subject.

"I did."

"Then why do you care?"

"I don't." He said in a tone that clearly stated that he did care.

Eyebrows just rose in response as she took another drink. She wanted to feel the effects of alcohol. Forget about her dumb crush on Chris; forget what she saw and just enjoy herself. Hannah and Sam were right - she never had fun and that's what she planned to do tonight.

She downed the rest of her drink, regretting it a moment later as she tried not to choke, before looking back up at Mike. She was fully feeling the effect of the orange drink now, and gladly welcomed the numb of her bottom lip.

"Want to dance?"

The expression on his face was surprising. She at least thought he'd laugh in her face or something to that effect, but instead he nodded and took her hand, leading her to the cleared area where everyone else was moving to the music.

Mike wasted no time, he grabbed her hips and started guiding their body's together to move to the beat of the music. His hands were hard on her body, grinding their hips together.. Her mind was now swimming. Gulping down two full drinks in a matter of ten minutes was more than enough to make her feel intoxicated. Ashley didn't fight it, she embraced it, allowing her mind to shut of for a little bit and enjoy the night.

Her body moved along with Mike's soon on her own; his hands stayed on her hips, he drew her close, their breaths mixing together. Soon, anything and everything around her was gone. All she was focused on was Mike and the music.

Before long, her arms were wrapped around his neck, still moving to the music but at a less insync pace. Their foreheads were pressed together moments later, their bodies slowing. And soon they were only swaying slightly, their eyes locked on each other.

Mike was the boy in school everyone wanted to date; he was smart, charming and knew how to talk to people. There was a reason he was the class president.

Ashley never really understood it till now. The dark gleam in his eyes, the slight scruff of beard that lined his jaw - it was hot.

Mike had been her friend for a while but she'd never wanted to be anything more. But with the two of them dancing there, a strong atmosphere around them and alcohol on their breath, she understood. And suddenly she wanted nothing more than to close the gap between them and taste his lips.

It was as if Mike had read her mind and granted her wish.

It was sudden and slow at the same time. Her eyes had fallen on his lips, and then they were closed as she felt him press his lips to hers.

It was soft as first, Mike moving his lips along hers; the two of them tasting each others flavors. But that didn't last long before the kiss turned hungry and greedy. His breath was hot inside her mouth, his lips and tongue moving in ways Ashley couldn't explain. She'd never been kissed like this before.

Ashley was suddenly being lifted off the ground but she didn't miss a beat. Instead she wrapped her arms around Mike's waist. It felt like only a second later that her back was against a wall. As soon as that happened, the music faded away and Ashley was fully focused on these actions. She parted their lips for a second, taking a breath.

"You okay?" Mike muttered, his lips brushing against hers.

"Yes." And then she closed the gap. "I'm going after what I want."

* * *

 **This was not what I was originally going to write when I started this but the story kind of took over and now I have a different plan for it that I am quite pleased with! Let me know what you think! 3**


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